Recently I had quite a scare. I was experiencing shortness of breath, heart palpitations and soaring blood pressure with out warning or reason. I tried to think of what could be the cause. The one thing I was doing different seemed to cause a reaction with my bowels (sorry) but they were actually slimey...
I had been journaling what I eat and one item seemed to jump out at me, SPLENDA sweetner. I drink about 8 cups of tea a day and always use the Splenda, one thing I noticed was an inordinate amountg of gas and the bowel thingy. I used 2 envelopes of Splenda in each cup of tea and also in cereal I eat and I put it into oatmeal. I stopped using it completely to see and in 2 days the gas disappeared and the third day my blood pressure was normal, no pains or palpitations....my bowels are normal too. I apparently was poisoning my body with something in this sweetner....so be careful ladies. I've gone back to Sweet & Low and crystalized chunks of real sugar from the health food store before its been processed and ruined....

Wow, Chatty! I'm so glad you recognized the culprit before too much damage was done! I posted somewhere here before about having a problem with the terrible aftertaste from Splenda. I just can't bring myself to trust anything that leaves such a horrific aftertaste in my mouth.

This might explain why my entire system was out of whack after visiting my SIL for two weeks in August...she uses Splenda in all her baking and cooking. My body is extremely sensitive to some of those chemical additives, but it never occurred to me to suspect the Splenda.

Artificial sweeteners can cause headaches, too. I never use them, never drink diet anything...I'll stick with real sugar. I use the raw stuff in my coffee.

Chatty, I know you're diabetic. Sweet-n-low isn't good for you either. Can you use Stevia? It's supposed to be a natural sugar substitute but I don't know that much about it. I use organic raw sugar.

Been using the raw sugar now as well and it seems to be fine for me. Hows come Sweet & Low isn't good for diabetics, never read or heard that before. It is just saccharin...

Saccharin isn't good for anyone. Wish I could remember specifics.

The media kept reporting years ago it caused cancer in mice but they overloaded the mice with it and it was given a clean bill of health ions ago. So far the raw sugar is working well but please be mindful of the effects of some of this artificial junk. My doctor/Cardiologist said it was actually damaging my heart...scary stuff.

chatty, did you call your doctor? Have you been for a check-up. That doesn't sound good to me. Please don't assume it was the Splenda.

I have seen her and am perfectly fine now that the Splenda has gone from my system. I know my own body well enough believe me to know what the problem was. I just didn't want to believe it could be that, but with total elimination of the Splenda all is back to a healthy normal....Go figure! I don't mind telling you it scared the beejeebies out of me. Thought I was dying and began making preparations. Not funny!!!

[ November 07, 2005, 05:03 PM: Message edited by: chatty lady ]

Thank you, Chatty Lady. For over a year I have wondered what was causing my horrid palpitations and now I know. Splenda goes out the window tonight and I go back to raw or crystallized sugar from the food co-op, or Sweet n Low. I tried Stevia but it leaves an awful aftertaste.